Why T.O.?

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During a recent visit to downtown Toronto, I saw they have some problems. It was dirty; litter was everywhere and the trash cans overflowed. Graffiti has found a permanent home on the walls and panhandlers sit on every other corner.

I stood next to a crumbling historical building, so in need of repair, dozens of passersby had to hurry to avoid being hit by the debris falling off the building's facade (don't worry, no one got hurt). As I stood there on the busy sidewalk, I remembered a comment I heard from a downtown advocate asking, "what it is going to take for our city to take preserving our history seriously?"

For three days I walked around exploring Toronto's urban jungle. Not a police officer was to be found, except those directing pedestrians away from the aforementioned crumbling building. I saw hundreds of cyclists on the road and bikes attached to trees and lamp standards as I struggled to find a visibly marked bike route or bike lock-up. Even in downtown Toronto, the principles of sound city planning are slowly being rediscovered.

And yet, downtown Toronto is one of the most exhilarating, exciting and vibrant downtowns in North America. It oozes that urban lifestyle from every crack and corner.

Sunday shopping on Yonge Street was crazy that weekend, while the lineups outside theatres, plays and restaurants were almost unimaginable to a native Winnipegger. I saw the old and new downtown districts, all within walking distance of the action, each offering its own unique flair and flavour. They offered a diversity that draws people to the sidewalk like magnets. I saw block upon block of people walking everywhere.

But then what else would you expect with over 200,000 people living downtown and almost a million more travelling in and out of downtown every day? They come to work, to study, and to visit and they get there through a multitude of integrated transit options.

Playing the role of naive tourist, I asked my cabdriver why was downtown was so busy. He had a simple but telling response. "Everyone wants to live downtown."

I asked him why that was, to which he promptly replied, "There are only two types of people in Toronto--those that live downtown, don't own a car, walk everywhere and enjoy all downtown has to offer, and then there are the other people with kids, who spend half their lives in their car commuting from the suburbs. But more and more people want to enjoy life, so everyone is moving downtown."

A brilliant observation that explained the dozens of cranes still building condos all of which were over 70 per cent sold, starting at $350,000 for 400 square feet of paradise, despite a so-called recession.

I know there is no real comparison between the market and population size, nor the traffic congestion, between Toronto and Winnipeg--all factors that drive downtown renewal. But there are some general similarities that downtown Winnipeg stakeholders like the BIZ continue to champion.

The first and most important is that all downtowns aspire to do better as we recognize that the journey of a fully revitalized downtown is also about championing for the right policies and creating the right environment needed to drive continued revitalization.

Policies like ensuring our downtown continues to be the employment center of the city, an even stronger center for arts, entertainment, and culture, and that its housing market needs to be prodded to grow. Policies that put people downtown in the best physical environment is key.

That's why the City of Winnipeg's policy to put downtown first is so important. It works to promote and encourage development in areas like housing, retail and entertainment while also celebrating its culture and history. It also serves to preserve what we have, and offers the solution to an environmentally cleaner and economically sustainable city.

What I learned is in Toronto, is they have some of the same problems we do, but they still have a downtown people want to live in because they put their downtown first. We continue to hear about the progress our downtown is making, and we're working for even more, because without a strong, vibrant core, our city is truly soulless.